"When you're a star, they let you do it"

[Airbrush]

“I’m automatically attracted to beautiful women — I just start kissing them, it’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything, grab 'em by the pussy."  Trump was not only boasting of his sexual prowess to Billy Bush, but he was advocating this kind of behavior for "stars."  “You [Billy Bush] can do anything when you’re a star.”  Implying that Billy Bush could grab women, like Trump does, IF he is a star.  “Are you important enough, a real star, to grab women by their private parts?”

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/trump-hot-mic-when-you-re-star-you-can-do-n662116

It is funny how Trump apologized on TV for this spoiled-8-year-old behavior.  It looked like a hostage video, like he was forced into it.  Then he got a bright idea, just call it “locker room talk” meaning it was a tall tale, and it's all good.  Then it’s no big deal, just idle tall tales.  The problem is that locker room talk is more likely honest confessions.  Melania Trump even said that Billy Bush was "egging him on."  Trump was egging Billy on.   Many Trump supporters were probably satisfied with that explanation.  “Oh, it’s not true, it’s just men boasting by telling tall tales."  That is a lie.  Most men don’t make up tall tales in a locker room.  At least not to my experience when I was in locker rooms when I played soccer and track and field.

I finally figured out Trump’s vise-like grip on 1/3 of Americans.  Because he’s a “STAR” that means all things are permitted to him.  Americans are often suckers for celebrity.  Trump can grab models by their private parts and he can extort the president of Ukraine.  He can also cheat in the next election, because all things are permitted (if you're a star).  Why not?  He thinks he IS the US.  What is good for him, must be good for the country.  The ends justify the means.  He keeps saying he is making America great again.

Celebrity has great force in US politics.  Trump was a reality show “star” on The Apprentice for 14 years!  Can anyone think of any other president of the US that was a “star”?  Arnold Schwarzenegger was governor of California for 8 years (2003 - 2011), but he acted like an adult, not a spoiled 8-year-old.  I voted for Arnold twice and I was happy with most of his performance.

Edited December 17, 2019 by Airbrush

[rangerx]

11 minutes ago, Airbrush said:

But he got a bright idea, just call it “locker room talk” meaning it was a tall tale, and it's all good.  Then it’s no big deal, just idle tall tales.  The problem is that locker room talk is more likely honest confessions.   Many Trump supporters were probably satisfied with that explanation.

While that incident occurred, Trump was engaged in a contract with ABC. He was being transported in a bus, chartered by ABC and they were proceeding to a studio for a shoot. He obviously showed up for work when he boarded that bus, because it was (at least partially) filled with producers and their assistants, sound crew, driver, makeup etc.

It was in the workplace. It's not like that goes against gossip between work mates at idle times, but trash talking while miked up and representing broader interests is a really stupid thing to do.

[Cynic]

Ronald Reagan was a star.

[zapatos]

13 minutes ago, Cynic said:

Ronald Reagan was a star.

Are you suggesting he engaged in similar behavior as Trump?

[J.C.MacSwell]

21 minutes ago, zapatos said:

Are you suggesting he engaged in similar behavior as Trump?

I'm hoping Cynic's suggesting a counter example to Trump...though I think Airbrush already covered that with Arnold S.

Edited December 18, 2019 by J.C.MacSwell

[Sensei]

1 hour ago, Cynic said:

Ronald Reagan was a star.

Ronald Reagan was cultural gentleman..

 

Edited December 18, 2019 by Sensei

[J.C.MacSwell]

1 minute ago, Sensei said:

Ronald Reagan was cultural gendlemen..

 

Identified as male?

[Sensei]

34 minutes ago, J.C.MacSwell said:

Identified as male?

Obviously I was thinking about gentleman. Replying from mobile is more difficult, virtual keyboard is often suggesting and autocorrecting to wrong words or with wrong form. Can't see letters without zooming.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gentleman

"(2): a man whose conduct conforms to a high standard of propriety or correct behavior".

 

[J.C.MacSwell]

Just now, Sensei said:

Obviously I was thinking about gentleman. Replying from mobile is more difficult, virtual keyboard is often suggesting and autocorrecting to wrong words or with wrong form. Can't see letters without zooming.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gentleman

"(2): a man whose conduct conforms to a high standard of propriety or correct behavior".

 

I thought that...I was only kidding...but I did google it prior to posting LOL...so you had me going

I agree about Reagan.

 

On 12/17/2019 at 6:10 PM, Airbrush said:

 

I finally figured out Trump’s vise-like grip on 1/3 of Americans.  Because he’s a “STAR” that means all things are permitted to him.  Americans are often suckers for celebrity. 

Certainly elements of truth to that... but I think the "vise-like grip" for his core (and to a lesser extent others) is his getting in the face of the establishment, or those perceived as looking down on others. This is exactly opposite of what one would expect (what I would have expected...please don't ask me to back it up) toward those with what I think most would hold as principled behaviour, but I think I have come to understand it to some small degree (still feels Twilight Zone level...Trump is POTUS, and still acting like an ass, and still with a chance of a second term)

[Airbrush]

2 hours ago, Cynic said:

Ronald Reagan was a star.

Thank you I had forgotten Reagan.  Any other presidents were previously a "star"?

[J.C.MacSwell]

29 minutes ago, Airbrush said:

Thank you I had forgotten Reagan.  Any other presidents were previously a "star"?

Wasn't Lincoln in the theatre?

What? ...too soon?

[Phi for All]

27 minutes ago, Airbrush said:

Thank you I had forgotten Reagan.  Any other presidents were previously a "star"?

Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine.

We had a US Senator in the 60s named George Murphy who was formerly an entertainer. Tom Lehrer wrote a satirical song about him, claiming "At last we've got a Senator who can really sing and dance!"

[Sensei]

Reminds me ancient times. Caligula and Nero.

On the other hand, modern politician must be good actor to persuade voters on TV, radio, Internet, media and real audience... It won't work without personality and charisma. Actors have a lot of training and experience of speeches to large audience.

[Airbrush]

George Washington was a star of the Revolution, and Eisenhower was a star of WW2.  Then there was Jesse Ventura, the star wrestler, governor of Minnesota for 4 years.

Edited December 19, 2019 by Airbrush

[Cynic]

I guess I should have copied the question. I was merely responding to this question within the OP.

”Can anyone think of any other president of the US that was a “star”?”

[Airbrush]

General U.S. Grant was a "star" of the Civil War.  I can't think of any other presidents that were "stars" before they became president, can you?

Trump is an exceptional case, someone who THINKS they are smart becoming president, because they were pampered all their life.  Most presidents start as lawyers (they have to actually read difficult material and pass challenging exams), then years of experience in the House, Senate, or Governor, before running for president.   Trump ran for president as a publicity stunt and never really expected to win.  He was surprised that he won the election.   He has shown he is not intelligent in many ways, yet calls himself a "stable genius" who knows more than his generals (as Hitler did).   He won the presidency by the force of his own delusions, confidence, and talent as a conman, skills he developed by hosting a reality program for 14 years.  Important to note, he also correctly identified a huge proportion (between 1/4 and 1/3 of Americans) with grievances that he cleverly amplified for them, while bashing the "deep state."  And he benefited from Russian help, and finally Comey reporting Clinton's emails just before the election.

Edited December 23, 2019 by Airbrush

[iNow]

2 minutes ago, Airbrush said:

I can't think of any other presidents that were "stars" before they became president, can you?

Reagan was a good answer. I suspect JFK comes close, likewise with Washington. Even Eisenhower...

I don’t share your feelings that our current IMPOTUS is a first in popularity before achieving high office.  

[J.C.MacSwell]

55 minutes ago, iNow said:

Reagan was a good answer. I suspect JFK comes close, likewise with Washington. Even Eisenhower...

I don’t share your feelings that our current IMPOTUS is a first in popularity before achieving high office.  

Pretty sure he meant movie star

On 12/18/2019 at 7:41 PM, Airbrush said:

Thank you I had forgotten Reagan.  Any other presidents were previously a "star"?

 

[zapatos]

19 minutes ago, J.C.MacSwell said:

Pretty sure he meant movie star

 

I don't think Trump would be considered a movie star.

[Endy0816]

39 minutes ago, zapatos said:

 

I don't think Trump would be considered a movie star.

He was in that Home Alone movie but yeah probably doesn't count.

[J.C.MacSwell]

TV star? 

[Airbrush]

1 hour ago, J.C.MacSwell said:

TV star? 

Yes, how can you NOT be a TV star when you host a reality TV show for 14 years?

The point I was trying to make is how much knowledge does the candidate bring to the presidency?  Trump only has a BS degree in economics.  That is why he is just literate enough to read a teleprompter.  Was that economics degree a "soft" program for children of rich people?   Trump's reality show, The Apprentice, was ABOUT apprentices to the Trump Organization.  How much knowledge gets generated in that kind of Trump-only environment?  The knowledge that Trump brings to the presidency is unimpressive, and yet he thinks he is a know-it-all.  He is clearly not curious.  What else has be done besides be boss of the private Trump Organizations and conduct a reality show that is about his own organization, year after year for 14 years?  Besides his fake Trump University.

"At age 13, he was enrolled in the New York Military Academy, a private boarding school.^[7] In 1964, Trump enrolled at Fordham University.^[8][9] Two years later he transferred to the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.^[9][10] While at Wharton, he worked at the family business, Elizabeth Trump & Son,^[11] graduating in May 1968 with a B.S. in economics.^[9][12][13] Profiles of Trump published in The New York Times in 1973 and 1976 erroneously reported that he had graduated first in his class at Wharton. However, he had never made the school's honor roll.^[14]"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump#Early_life_and_education

Edited December 23, 2019 by Airbrush

[J.C.MacSwell]

1 hour ago, Airbrush said:

Yes, how can you NOT be a TV star when you host a reality TV show for 14 years?

The point I was trying to make is how much knowledge does the candidate bring to the presidency?  Trump only has a BS degree in economics.  That is why he is just literate enough to read a teleprompter.  Was that economics degree a "soft" program for children of rich people?   Trump's reality show, The Apprentice, was ABOUT apprentices to the Trump Organization.  How much knowledge gets generated in that kind of Trump-only environment?  The knowledge that Trump brings to the presidency is unimpressive, and yet he thinks he is a know-it-all.  He is clearly not curious.  What else has be done besides be boss of the private Trump Organizations and conduct a reality show that is about his own organization, year after year for 14 years?  Besides his fake Trump University.

"At age 13, he was enrolled in the New York Military Academy, a private boarding school.^[7] In 1964, Trump enrolled at Fordham University.^[8][9] Two years later he transferred to the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.^[9][10] While at Wharton, he worked at the family business, Elizabeth Trump & Son,^[11] graduating in May 1968 with a B.S. in economics.^[9][12][13] Profiles of Trump published in The New York Times in 1973 and 1976 erroneously reported that he had graduated first in his class at Wharton. However, he had never made the school's honor roll.^[14]"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump#Early_life_and_education

Agree...but now I am twice as impressed with Trump as I had been...

[Raider5678]

On 12/17/2019 at 5:10 PM, Airbrush said:

Most men don’t make up tall tales in a locker room.

Most mature men do not.

I don't know if Trump was just making stuff up or not. I doubt he was, however he's such a pathological liar I honestly can't tell.

Even if he was making it up though, I don't really care.

Who the hell brags about stuff like that? Or thinks that it's cool to do that?

[CharonY]

On 12/23/2019 at 7:03 PM, Raider5678 said:

Who the hell brags about stuff like that? Or thinks that it's cool to do that?

It is more about power over others rather than being cool with it.